Angered by the 'atrocities' against Muslims in Congress-ruled Maharashtra, a senior Bahujan Samaj Party MP appealed to the minorities to 'start a dialogue' with the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena.

"The need of the hour is to start a dialogue with Uddhav Thackarey and Gopinath Munde and time is the essence, it waits for none," Iliyas Azmi said on Wednesday, in a statement sharply critical of Congress and its actions.

The BSP leader, who just returned from Mumbai, alleged that after two years in power at the Centre, the Congress has again started showing its 'true colours' as regards the minorities.

"Despite the daily assurances to the minorities from the prime minister and senior Congress leaders the atrocities of the Maharashtra government against them have been increasing," he alleged.

Azmi, who represents Shahabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh, cautioned Muslims of Maharashtra to understand that the 'intentions and actions' of Congress were 'too poisonous' as compared to the 'bitter words' of the BJP.